Sutton to launch recycling “Good to Know” campaign

​A campaign to increase the recycling knowledge of Sutton residents will be launched next week in an effort to improve recycling rates.

Sutton currently recycles 37% of its waste – above the London average of 34%. The council wants to build on this through the ‘Good to Know’ campaign which includes a series of recycling roadshows, posters, a leaflet drop to households with information about what people can and cannot place in their bins as well as bin stickers for households with kerbside collections.

There are currently five recycling roadshows planned for November and December to offer hints and tips on recycling more and wasting less, and the council will look to book more in the New Year.

As 23% of waste placed in brown bins could be recycled there is still opportunity to make Sutton’s recycling figures even better.

On top of the many environmental benefits of recycling, it is also far more cost-effective for the public purse to recycle materials rather than dispose of them. These savings can then be used to fund other important council services.

The Sutton Good to Know campaign is funded by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) and Resource London after Sutton Council successful bid for funding.

“Here in Sutton we take our responsibilities very seriously – we know our residents work hard to make sure they recycle as much as possible but there is still more that could be done.

“The ‘Good to Know’ campaign will help people to improve their recycling rate. This will make a real difference to Sutton and the environmental health of our planet, along with contributing to the achievement of our One Planet Sutton targets.”

The Sutton campaign has been timed to coincide with the launch of the new Recycle for London campaign. Recycle for London, supported by Mayor Boris Johnson, will offer helpful tips and suggestions on how to recycle, reduce waste, and re-use more.

Mayor of London Boris Johnson said:

“This is a great way to boost the environment and save money, so let’s not waste any time and get into the habit of recycling more of our everyday items.”

The Recycle for London campaign is marked by the launch of a refreshed website – http://www.recycleforlondon.com – offering advice for residents and visitors to the capital on what they can and cannot recycle in their postcode area, as well as helpful tips and suggestions on how to reduce waste and re-use more. It is being launched by Resource London, a partnership between the London Waste and Recycling Board (LWARB) and WRAP with the aim of helping London boroughs boost recycling rates across the capital and hit the Mayor’s target of recycling 50% of local authority-collected waste by 2020.

In polling to understand London’s recycling habits, Recycle for London found that there is a strong intention to do more in the city; more than half of Londoners polled (55%) are adamant that everybody should recycle. Londoners are keen to do more to tackle waste with two-thirds saying they would feel greater pride in their city if it were more environmentally friendly. Despite this positive attitude, the survey found that one in ten (13%) Londoners exaggerate how much they recycle to make themselves look better. This rises to a quarter (23%) amongst 25-34 year olds who took part in the poll.

Younger Londoners do, however, show a strong appetite to do more in the city. 76% of 18-34 year olds asked say they wish they recycled more – more than 10% higher than the London average – but 11% of younger people openly admit that they simply don’t know what or how to recycle at home.

Do YOU want to go greener? Then visit Recycle for London’s website and take the campaign’s short quiz by clicking here to see what kind of recycler you are and get tips on what ‘just one thing’ you could do to make London a greener city. Or join the conversation on Twitter using the hashtag #JustOneThing

For further information on the Sutton campaign and what can and cannot be recycled in the borough visit www.sutton.gov.uk/recycling

SUTTON HIGH SCHOOL

Sutton High School is an independent day school for girls aged 3-18. Founded in 1884 by the GDST, it continues to provide an academically rigorous and challenging education within the framework of a caring and supportive community.

It was the London Borough of Sutton’s highest placed girls’ school in The Times A Level Results Table August 2015 and GCSE results also saw an increase in the percentage of A* grades, up to 32%, with 40% of girls achieving 9 or more A* or A grades. Come and see for yourself why The Good Schools Guide describes Sutton High as “a school to watch”. Places for our Open Events can be booked online at www.suttonhigh.gdst.net

FREE CHILDCARE

*The scheme is available to Sutton residents who earn less than £16,190, receive Child Tax Credit, Working Tax Credit, Income Support, or other benefits, from the term after a child's second birthday, thanks to funding from the government.

The free childcare can be provided by nurseries, childminders, pre-schools or playgroups.